Category Archives: college football

November 1, 2011 · 10:16 pm

COLLEGE FOOTBALL RANKINGS: WEEK OF OCT 31ST

 

The NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) hadn’t had a regular season number 1 vs number 2 matchup since 1999 prior to this year and already we are getting the second such matchup of the 2011 season! The St Xavier (IL) Cougars, the football pride of Chicago, are still the top- ranked team in the NAIA poll and this Saturday will be traveling to take on the number 2 Marian University Knights. Both teams come into the matchup at 9-0, so while some people are watching some other 1 vs 2 matchup make sure you’re glued to the only one that matters! And now a look at some of the rankings in the divisions of college football covered by Balladeer’s Blog:

NAIA – 1. SXU COUGARS   …   2. MARIAN KNIGHTS   …   3. CC FIGHTING SAINTS (defending champs)   …   4. GEORGETOWN (KY) TIGERS   …   5. MIDAMERICA NAZARENE PIONEERS   …   6. MORNINGSIDE MUSTANGS   …   7. MISSOURI VALLEY COLLEGE VIKINGS   …   8. WILLIAM PENN STATESMEN   …   9. BENEDICTINE Continue reading →

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October 30, 2011 · 4:05 pm

NOTEWORTHY COLLEGE FOOTBALL RESULTS FROM OCTOBER 29TH

 SOUTHERN NAZARENE RULES THE WORLD – The NAIA’s 20th ranked SOUTHERN NAZARENE  UNIVERSITY CRIMSON STORM embraced the tradition of beating up on teams from supposedly higher divisions yesterday by taking it on the road and pummeling NCAA Division 2’s PANHANDLE STATE AGGIES 28-7. The Crimson Storm (love that name) improves to 7-2 for the year. Every week this season at least one NAIA team has defeated a team from D2 as well as taking down multiple teams from NCAA Division 3.

NUMBER ONE TAKES A FALL – In a collision of SCFA titans the top- ranked SADDLEBACK COLLEGE GAUCHOS fell on the road to the defending champs, the MT SAN ANTONIO COLLEGE MOUNTIES in a magnificent 38-34 gridiron masterpiece. The Mounties were themselves ranked number one earlier in the season before falling to the RIVERSIDE TIGERS, who look to move up from number 2 now that the Gauchos have fallen.  

NUMBER THREE TAKES A FALL – D2’s 3rd ranked BLOOMSBURG HUSKIES were stunned at home by the unranked C.W. POST PIONEERS. The final score was 24-21 in this game where Post proved they can indeed close out a big game after all. Congratulations to the Pioneers for persevering and notching the kind of signature win their program has been looking for for some time now. 

NUMBER ONE SURVIVES A SCARE … AGAIN – For the 2nd week in a row the NJCAA’s top- ranked BLINN BUCCANEERS, where Cam Newton played his college ball before transferring to Auburn, had to survive a very tight game. The Bucs were on the road against the CISCO COLLEGE WRANGLERS who gave the number 1 team almost more than they could handle in a 39-37 Instant Classic.

OREDIGGERS KICK BEAR BUTT IN BUTTE – As Balladeer’s Blog noted yesterday, the number 24 ROCKY MOUNTAIN COLLEGE BATTLIN’ BEARS from the NAIA have been up and down all season to the point where you never know which team will show up. Yesterday they wore their Mr Hyde faces for Halloween, and the homestanding MONTANA TECH OREDIGGERS trounced RMC by a score of 34-14. This was just the 2nd victory of the year for the struggling Orediggers who improve to 2-7.

TOP 25 UPSETS – NAIA – In addition to RMC falling the 9th ranked ST FRANCIS (IL) FIGHTING SAINTS suffered a road loss to the Continue reading →

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October 29, 2011 · 2:18 pm

COLLEGE FOOTBALL SCOREBOARDS FOR OCTOBER 29TH

 The NAIA’s 18th ranked Bethany Swedes (helmet at left) will host the 14th ranked Ottawa (KS) Braves today in a game with massive  KCAC implications. The Swedes come into this matchup at 7-1, the Braves at 6-2. Elsewhere in NAIA action, the number 22 Northwestern (IA) Red Raiders greet the 23rd ranked Dakota Wesleyan Tigers as they square off for the right to remain in the rankings. And speaking of trying to remain in the rankings, the up and down Rocky Mountain College Battlin’ Bears reentered the poll at 24 this week, and are on the road at the Montana Tech Orediggers. With Halloween drawing near will RMC show their Dr Jekyll or Mr Hyde personas? 

In NJCAA football the post- season will begin next week believe it or not, and today finds the 15th ranked Hutchinson Blue Dragons on the road against the number 17 Coffeyville Red Ravens. The way the season has played out, the two teams already know they will face each other in next week’s opening round  playoff matchup, so today’s rehearsal for that clash will decide which team has the home field advantage for that game. 

Naturally a few results are already in for this week from the games played Thursday and Friday night. Thursday saw THE Terry Bowden’s 5th ranked North Alabama Lions fall on the road to the unranked West Alabama Tigers 31-26. Last night the Washington and Lee Generals moved one step closer to their 2nd straight Old Dominion Athletic Conference title by demolishing the Catholic Cardinals 49-13. Since the football gods love drama, that means that next Saturday the Generals will take on the only other unbeaten ODAC team, the Hampden- Sydney Tigers, for the conference crown. And now, links to updating scoreboards in the divisions of college football covered by Balladeer’s Blog:

NAIA – http://www.victorysportsnetwork.com/sport/0/14.php

D3 – http://d3football.com/scoreboard/composite

D2 –  http://www.d2football.com/scores/

NJCAA – http://www.njcaa.org/sports_schedules.cfm?category=Schedules%2FScores&sid=11&divid=0&slid=5

SCFA – http://www.scfafootball.com/statistics/scoreboard.html

NCFA – http://www.cccaasports.org/football/men/

 

   

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October 25, 2011 · 9:33 pm

COLLEGE FOOTBALL POLLS: WEEK OF OCTOBER 24TH

 The Rocky Mountain College Battlin’ Bears have jumped back into the NAIA Top 25 for the 5th time this year. The up and down team moves back into the rankings at number 24 this week. The St Xavier Cougars remain in the top spot for the 7th straight week. In fact all of the Top 6 retained their relative position from last week’s poll. And now a look at the latest polls in the divisions of college football covered by Balladeer’s Blog:

NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) – 1. SXU COUGARS   …   2. MARIAN KNIGHTS   …   3. CC FIGHTING SAINTS (defending champs)   …   4. GEORGETOWN (KY) TIGERS   …   5. MNU PIONEERS   …   6. MORNINGSIDE MUSTANGS   …   7. MVC VIKINGS   …   8. WILLIAM PENN STATESMEN   …   9. Continue reading →

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October 23, 2011 · 2:54 pm

NOTEWORTHY COLLEGE FOOTBALL RESULTS FROM OCTOBER 22ND

 SOUTHERN OREGON RULES THE WORLD – Another Saturday, another NAIA college football team takes down a higher division opponent! This week the SOUTHERN OREGON RAIDERS joined the other NAIA teams in bringing down an NCAA Division 2 team in a gripping 31-28 win over the SIMON FRASER CLAN (as in Scottish clan). Simon Fraser is one of the Canadian institutions that compete in American intercollegiate sports divisions. The Raiders trailed 21-3 at one point before turning the tables on the Clan. Every week this season at least one NAIA team has toppled a D2 or higher team.

NUMBER TWO TAKES A FALL – NCAA Division 2’s 2nd ranked ABILENE  CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY WILDCATS lost on the road to the number 13 MIDWESTERN STATE MUSTANGS in a mind-blowing 70- 28 manhandling. If anyone outside the MSU locker room says they saw this coming, they’re lying, trust me. A nice trivia note is that Abilene Christian is where the fathers of Colt/ Case McCoy and Jordan/ Jaxon Shipley played their college football … and yes, they too were roommates, little dreaming of the tradition they were starting.  

NUMBER ONE SURVIVES A SCARE – Meanwhile D2’s top-ranked DELTA STATE STATESMEN had to struggle to hold on at home against the 10th ranked VALDOSTA STATE BLAZERS in a tight 36-33 affair. The number 1 team in D3 had a fight on their hands yesterday, also, as the defending champs, the WHITEWATER WARHAWKS, survived a road tussle with the 20th ranked OSHKOSH TITANS by a score of 20-17. Continuing this theme the NJCAA’s top ranked BLINN COLLEGE BUCCANEERS, where Cam Newton played his college ball before transferring to Auburn, also had a tough road fight against the KILGORE RANGERS, but improved to 8-0 with a 52-45 win.

TOP 25 UPSETS – NAIA – The number 8 AZUSA PACIFIC COUGARS fell at the LINDENWOOD LIONS in a 38-31 Instant Classic   …   The 17th ranked CUMBERLAND BULLDOGS needed a last- minute field goal to do it, but they upset the number 14 BETHEL (TN) WILDCATS in an unforgettable 36-34 gridiron duel    …   And the unranked CUMBERLANDS PATRIOTS stunned the number 25 team, the SHORTER HAWKS, by a score of 35-10. Both teams now have identical 4-3 records.   

TOP 25 UPSETS – NCAA DIVISION 3 – Continue reading →

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October 22, 2011 · 12:34 am

COLLEGE FOOTBALL SCOREBOARDS FOR OCTOBER 22ND

 The NAIA’s 5th ranked MidAmerica Nazarene Pioneers (helmet at left) will host the number 7 Benedictine Ravens today in a crucial matchup in the Heart of America Athletic Conference. The Pioneers are the defending HAAC champs but Benedictine currently tops the conference standings. MNU will be led by quarterback Sean “How Bad” Ransburg as they take on the Ravens’ revered defense, which is 2nd in the nation in scoring and 4th overall.

The battle for the Frontier Conference title may well be decided today as the CC Fighting Saints are Continue reading →

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October 18, 2011 · 9:27 pm

COLLEGE FOOTBALL POLLS WEEK OF OCTOBER 17TH

 The Blinn College Buccaneers (helmet at left), the team for which Cam Newton played before transferring to Auburn, are still ranked number 1 in the NJCAA Poll after holding on to win a 30-27 nail- biter with Trinity Valley this past Saturday. As expected the Delta State Statesmen are the new number 1 in D2 after they took down the previously top-ranked North Alabama Lions (coached by THE Terry Bowden) in last Thursday night’s overtime classic. No change to the number one teams in the other divisions covered by Balladeer’s Blog.

NAIA – 1. ST XAVIER UNIVERSITY COUGARS   …   2. MARIAN KNIGHTS   …   3. CC FIGHTING SAINTS (defending champs)   …   4. GEORGETOWN (KY) TIGERS   …   5. MIDAMERICA NAZARENE PIONEERS   …   6. MORNINGSIDE MUSTANGS   …   7. BENEDICTINE RAVENS   …   8. AZUSA PACIFIC COUGARS   …   T9. MISSOURI VALLEY VIKINGS   …   T9. WILLIAM PENN STATESMEN   …   11. ST FRANCIS (IL) FIGHTING SAINTS   …   12. ST FRANCIS (IN) COUGARS   …   13. ST AMBROSE FIGHTING BEES (love that name)   …   14. BETHEL (TN) WILDCATS   …   15. OTTAWA (KS) BRAVES   …   16. VCS VIKINGS   …   17. CUMBERLAND BULLDOGS   …   18. DOANE TIGERS   …   19. DAKOTA WESLEYAN TIGERS   …   20. BETHANY  SWEDES   …   21. SOUTHERN NAZARENE CRIMSON STORM   …   22. EASTERN OREGON MOUNTAINEERS   …   23. NORTHWESTERN (IA) RED RAIDERS   …   24. LANGSTON Continue reading →

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October 16, 2011 · 3:12 pm

NOTEWORTHY COLLEGE FOOTBALL RESULTS FROM OCTOBER 15TH

AZUSA PACIFIC RULES THE WORLD YET AGAIN – The NAIA’s AZUSA  PACIFIC COUGARS went on the road and  eviscerated NCAA Division 2’s DIXIE STATE RED STORM by a score of 48-19. Over the years Azusa Pacific has wracked up an impressive number of wins against upper division teams, even taking down Division 1’s San Diego Toreros in their own house in the 2010 season. And so far this season every Saturday has found at least 1 NAIA team upsetting a D2 team. Add to that the sheer number of D3 teams who have had their butts kicked by NAIA teams this year and you can easily say the NAIA has owned the NCAA this season.

WAYNE STATE’S WORLD – Both D2 teams called Wayne State were ranked and both were upset yesterday. The 4th ranked WARRIORS fell to the ASHLAND EAGLES 20-17 and the 25th ranked WILDCATS were knocked out of the rankings by the CONCORDIA-ST PAUL GOLDEN BEARS 27-24.

TOP 25 UPSETS – NAIA – Yesterday I had put the 4th ranked MISSOURI VALLEY VIKINGS on upset alert as they took it on the road against the number 9 BENEDICTINE RAVENS. For the 2nd week in a row number 4 took a fall as the Ravens handed MVC a 35-19 smackdown   …   The unranked BACONE WARRIORS knocked the number 23 NORTHWESTERN OKLAHOMA STATE RANGERS out of the rankings with a 35-28 victory, just one week after the Rangers upset the then- number 10 SOUTHERN NAZARENE CRIMSON STORM.    

TOP 25 UPSETS – D3 – The Continue reading →

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October 15, 2011 · 1:59 pm

COLLEGE FOOTBALL SCOREBOARDS FOR OCTOBER 15TH

 Close games were an unknown concept in last night’s matchups. Starting off with Centennial Conference action, the Johns Hopkins University Blue Jays (helmet at left) decimated the Dickinson Red Devils 47-6. D3’s top ranked defending champs, the Whitewater Warhawks, doubled up on the Stout Blue Devils 42-21. The Assumption Greyhounds crushed the Merrimack Warriors by a score of 44-24 and the only road team to win last night, the Bowie State Bulldogs, beat up on the Lincoln (PA) Lions 22-10. Thursday night brought us a new number 1 ranked team in D2 as the 2nd ranked Delta State Statesmen won in overtime 30-24 at the top ranked North Alabama Lions.

Looking ahead to today’s action the NAIA has no less than five clashes between Top 25 teams on the menu. The 2nd ranked and 7-0 Marian University Knights (insert my usual self-congratulatory remark about my predicting the explosion for MU football in my 2010 – yes, 2010 – preseason assessments) are on the road against the 6th ranked St Francis (IN) Cougars. The 3rd ranked CC Fighting Saints, who are also the defending champs of NAIA college football, host the number 21 Rocky Mountain College Battlin’ Bears. The Missouri Valley College Vikings, ranked at number 4, are visiting the 9th ranked yet perennially underrated Benedictine Ravens. The number 15 Southern Nazarene Crimson Storm (love that name) take on the 7th ranked MidAmerica Nazarene Pioneers and the 8th ranked Morningside Mustangs are at the number 13 Dakota Wesleyan Tigers. Meanwhile the 11th ranked William Penn University Statesmen try to avoid 2 losses in a row, this week at the hands of the visiting St Mary Spires, the road warriors who stunned the 14th ranked Bethany Swedes last Saturday. And Continue reading →

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October 13, 2011 · 8:53 pm

ONE VERSUS TWO IN D2 TONIGHT: DELTA STATE AT NORTH ALABAMA

What is it with this college football season? Tonight will be the THIRD regular season clash between the number 1 and number 2 teams in the divisions covered by Balladeer’s Blog. A few weeks ago we had two such matchups in one afternoon as the NAIA’s Top 2 teams and the NJCAA’s Top 2 teams collided. This latest gridiron Armageddon takes place in Florence, AL as the Delta State Statesmen travel to face the North Alabama Lions. The Statesmen played in last December’s D2 Title game but lost to UMD and the Lions are coached by THE Terry Bowden, the Continue reading →

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